struggle with infertility

Did You Know?

We are passionate patient advocates, having experienced infertility and the financial hardship of IVF treatment. We were shocked at the lack of support for our medical condition and think BC can do better. Strong families help build strong communities, a thriving economy and a more secure future for the next generation.

An Open Letter to Patients

We start this journey with the sense of anticipation and excitement that we will hold that little bundle of joy one day. We plan the nursery, pick names and get everything ready for our little ones to come into our lives. After a few months, we buy a thermometer and start tracking our temperature because things are taking a bit longer than we expected. We watch the calendar like a hawk and still nothing happens.

Then we finally decide that we may need to consult a physician, so we ask for a referral. After a few tests, we are told that IVF is our best shot at having a baby.

Some of us have endometriosis, some of us have low ovarian reserve or low sperm count. There are so many reasons that bring us all together here, that make us a community of advocates. We are parents in waiting. There are many emotional and physical hardships that we face along the road of infertility – the hormones, the body changes, and the disappointment. These are the things we cannot unfortunately avoid when going through fertility treatments. But one thing we can control is our advocacy.

We can stand up for each other, for those of us that cannot afford the necessary medical treatment we need to have a family. We can share our stories and make infertility less taboo. Together we can support each other. We need to hold each other up and tell our government that we have the right to have our medical conditions treated without counting the dollars in our savings account and hoping we can afford just one cycle. Or asking our retiring parents to dig into their RRSPs because they too desperately want us to be happy and give them a grandchild.

Together, we do not need to be parents in waiting. We can create the families we have all dreamed of. We need to support each other and push our government to do the right thing and publicly fund IVF.